Posts Tagged ‘The Odd Gentlemen’

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The fifth Chapter of The Demons Whispering Sierra’s Name in the Darkness’s revived episodic King’s Quest [official site] is now out. Old King Graham is dusting off his jaunty hat and squeezing into his adventuretrousers for one last quest. Let’s pretending I’m not all wistful about the hints that this character whose games I’ve never played will pop his clogs after he finally finishes telling his granddaughter his life’s story; it’s a weird time for me, okay. Read the rest of this entry »

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Oh! Chapter 4 of the episodic King’s Quest [official site] revival is now out. Pop! Out of nowhere, five months since the last episode – just when I’d forgotten about it – here’s more of the adventure game. King Graham is continuing telling tales about his younger days, though he seems to be getting on a bit by Chapter 4. This time, Activision say, “King Graham recounts the time he had to rescue Prince Alexander from Queen Icebella’s Frozen Castle.” Okey cokey. Have a peek in this launch trailer:

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A new King’s Quest [official site] was one of the first projects Activision announced after hauling the hide of Sierra Entertainment off their trophy wall and wrapping it around one of their colossal Actifingers, bringing back one of the shut-down publisher’s touchstones. With the series’ creators and makers long gone, the new episodic King’s Quest was made by P.B. Winterbottom devs The Odd Gentlemen. Three episodes are out so far, and now the first episode is free for everyone to try. Our John did not like it, but are you curious to see for yourself?

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Love! Don’t talk to me about love. Especially not if you’re talking about falling in love with people. Look at young King-to-be Graham in the third episode of Activision’s revived King’s Quest [official site], off adventuring in search of love, travelling through a grand forest and tumbling down a hill – two bits of landscape that it’d be perfectly reasonable to fall deeply in love with. But no, he’s off climbing a magic tower to rescue a princess to love or something? But fine, sure, whatever, if you’re into that sort of thing, then Chapter 3: Once Upon a Climb Launch is out.

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I really had no idea what to expect of the return of King’s Quest [official site]. The original series were mostly terrible, twee and poorly constructed adventure games, but it had its moments, and certainly found its place in nostalgia. The news of its return after a few abortive efforts seemed like it could bode well, especially with The Odd Gentlemen (PB Winterbottom) behind the wheel. Trailers were confusing, not making it clear if it was an adventure game, platformer, third-person somethinger. But I waited to see. Here’s wot I think:

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The adventure has begun! Both the episodic new King’s Quest [official site], and what might really happen as Activision dusts off the old Sierra name and catalogue for the modern age. It’s not the first game released under the new Sierra ‘indie label’ (that’s Geometry Wars 3), but King’s Quest is pretty iconic for Sierra. It can never live up to people’s memories of King’s Quest, but might it be a merry lark?

You can find out for yourself, as the first episode, named A Knight to Remember, launched last night. Come have a peek in the appropriately ’80s launch trailer:

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The new King’s Quest [official site] is the first real test for the glove puppet Activision have made from the flayed hide of Sierra. Will its revival of Ye Olde Sierra adventure game series fill you with warmth and love and joy and nostalgia and make you embrace and kiss the glove, murmuring “I’ve missed you, I’ve missed you so much” as tears runs down your cheeks, or will you slap the leathery paw away and screw your eyes tight repeating “It’s only a dream, it’s only a dream”?

The first episode, A Knight to Remember, will launch on July 28th, Sierra have announced.

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The return of King’s Quest does seem strange. Activision’s decision to revive the Sierra name, and then use it as a sort of faux-independent label, was accompanied by the news that the PB Winterbottom devs The Odd Gentlemen would resurrect the King’s Quest license [official site]. But look, see, here’s the thing: The King’s Quest games, with the exception of VI, were pretty bloody awful. Everyone seems to have forgotten that. Anyway, we’ve some more in-game footage of the new entry that doesn’t look anything like an adventure game. But have seen some other footage that shows a very different looking more traditional game.

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The art direction in the new King’s Quest [official website] is a prickly subject. While some people are unimpressed with the final outcome, at least we can all agree that it comes from a good place. The latest ‘Behind The Scenes With The Odd Gentlemen’ video (which will never stop being creepy) shows that everything you see in the game will be hand-painted. Whether you’re a fan of the painting or not is up to you.

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Christopher Lloyd will be voicing the old King Graham in the new King’s Quest game [official site], as revealed in the latest “Behind the scenes with the Odd Gentlemen” video. Which sounds a bit like one or two of my more regrettable experiences in the last few years.

The dev diary goes on show off the whole main cast, including Zelda Williams, Rex from Toy Story and the Ice King from Adventure Time. Oh, and some kid who thinks being in a video game is really cool because “instead of being in a movie like I’ve usually been in, I get to be in a game.” So that’s good.

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Trailers don’t always turn me into a shrieking teenybopper, but I’m not ashamed to say I made high-pitched noises — think long, loud “EEEE”s of raw and immeasurable glee – at the King’s Quest announcement trailer. A joint production between The Odd Gentleman and the newly resurrected Sierra Games, the upcoming reboot is all about a doddering King Graham going, “In my time – ” at his granddaughter Gwendoyln while he shakes his cane-sword at shadow bunnies.

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Is there anyone whose life I’d rather cast a magic spell to steal than Neil Gaiman? Not necessarily because of his books or his films or mellifluous voice, but because I want to live in a big, rambling house surrounded by books and dogs and cats and trees.

Although not a big house like the one in this new trailer for the ghost-filled Wayward Manor.

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As someone who self-identifies as (and gets paid to be) an oftentimes colossal nerd, I’m ashamed to admit that I’m only just now getting into Neil Gaiman. I’ve been ploughing through Sandman, and I just finished American Gods the other day. It’s all been marvelous, and I absolutely despise myself for not starting sooner. But late-bloomer Gaiman binges do have their advantages. For instance, maximized excitement over the Man Who Desperately Wishes He Had My Hair’s first foray into the world of digitized amusement laser rainbows – sometimes referred to colloquially as “videogames”. It’s called Wayward Manor, and it sees you play as a grumpy ghost who must frighten away a “remarkable” band of intruders while maybe – just maybe – learning a little something about himself in the process. Or, well, his death, anyway.